Path to Lync Server – Step 1: Clarify Your Communication Needs First

Because Lync Server contains an assortment of communication channels, it's essential that you identify which will be the most used. Clarify how your office communicates NOW, so you can provide the same channels with Lync later.

Why clarify communication needs first?

It makes people aware of the change.

It gives them a chance for feedback about office communication (they might have problems you could fix with Lync).

It maps out the office's current communication channels, so future changes can be recorded/planned for.

Survey the office's needs

How does information flow in your business? What channels are used the most? These are questions to answer in Step 1.

Chances are most organizations use the following:

Email

Phone

IM (if used)

Conferencing / Presentations

Intranet / Internal Document Storage

These are the most popular communication channels used. Determine how information flows through them by conducting a short survey. Ask users questions like:

How often do you use X to communicate?

What's helpful about X?

What's not helpful about X?

What would make you want to use X more?

Is there another communications channel you'd like to use more?

You can do this via any of the channels themselves. But I recommend emails first, with phone follow-up on people who don't respond.

You'll also want to ask them about new services available with Lync, at the same time. (Don't want to bug people more than once – your response rate goes way down!) This is just the first half of the survey. It's a good idea to check this, so you can be sure you're implementing communication channels people actually want to use.

Next week we'll cover which communication channels employees might use if they were available.

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About the Skype for Business Insider Blog

The Skype4B Insider is a blog about the technology we use to communicate in business today. Here we talk about Microsoft's Skype for Business Server 2015, Lync Server 2013, Unified Communications, Voice over IP and related technologies like Exchange Server. Written by Chris W., MCSE in Communication and PlanetMagpie IT Consulting's Digital Marketing & Communications Manager.